best way to cut large sheets of mdf ?

[hamster88]

Hi I'm looking to buy a table saw to cut large sheets of mdf. 2.4 x 1.2m sheets. I already have a circular saw. Which would be the best method ?

thank you.


Mod edit - Moved from Hand tool board. Please post topics in the correct forum. Thanks and welcome.

 

[RobinBHM]

track saw or a panel saw if you have the space

cheers

 

[Graham Orm]

Make a track saw type guide for your circular saw to get it into manageable sizes then table saw.

Skip to 6 minutes to get the gist of how it works https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiSz7kPwFY0

 

[Ghengis]

If you have a circular saw make a tracksaw out of it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtlxOQrXhEo

 

[dp341]

I made and used one of those very successfully. They're easy, quick and cheap to make, they're just as quick and easy to use. They're also surprisingly accurate.

I had a sacrificial sheet of fibreboard that I put on the drive (garage floor's good too), and used to cut the boards into pieces I could manage to get into my cellar workshop and could safely handle on my table saw. Unless you have a lot of space (and money) for a panel saw cutting 8 x 4 boards on a table saw is a bit unwieldy.

 

[mr edd]

Hi,

If you make a 'track saw guide' for your circular saw, trestles with a sacrificial piece of 4 x 2'' bolted on top (with bolts obviously recessed) works well, just make sure that your cut is supported in the correct orientation to avoid the offcut dropping = burning, blade catching. If your working by yourself 3 or 4 trestles are better.

Also remember to keep one factory made 90 degree edge intact to measure off. most frustrating if you forget and cut off both ends of a sheet. Then you have to rely on the 3,4,5 measurements or a large roofing square.

Lastly hook up your saw to an extractor or hoover (ie Henry) the tube does get in the way but after years of breathing in that dust.......

Please forgive if I am repeating what you already know.

Cheers Edd

 

[Ghengis]

I carry this setup in my van for cutting large panels, (and smaller ones) with my track saw , it sits on top of 2 tressels it knocks down small.
Its approx 1m wide and 1.8m long

 

[mr edd]

Nice one Ghengis, like it,

Simple but.......the best ones often are, that would give you all the support you need for sheet material with a track saw, i just happen to have a bunch of folding trestles kicking about in the van but might be a convert now!!!!

Cheers Edd

 

[Graham Orm]

I carry this setup in my van for cutting large panels, (and smaller ones) with my track saw , it sits on top of 2 tressels it knocks down small.
Its approx 1m wide and 1.8m long

I'm having that! thanks mate. :mrgreen:

 

[Eric The Viking]

Coming late to this...

Aidan T. ("TheTiddles") came up with a very nice design for a frame for cutting. Details are in this thread. It's easy to put up and break down for storage, but probably a bit big for putting in a van for occasional site use - Graham's makes far more sense for that, to my mind*.

I think Steve Maskery made one up to Aidan's design a while ago. The big advantage is that it's got more support so offcuts won't move about when they come free. I think it's probably a better bet for people like me wanting to save pretty much every offcut (different on-site?), as the offcut shouldn't be much worse than the clean edge under the rail.

I'm going to have a go at making it shortly, as I've quite a few sheet materials to cut up...

Just my (Aidan's) twopence.

E.

*I write as someone who's never owned a Transit nor done site jobs commercially, so caveat lector...

 

[custard]

Hi I'm looking to buy a table saw to cut large sheets of mdf. 2.4 x 1.2m sheets. I already have a circular saw. Which would be the best method ?

I have a large Felder with a sliding table that can take full sheets of MDF, and yet I still regularly use a portable circular saw with a simple track for breaking down large sheet goods. For someone working on his own it's just too difficult manoeuvring 18mm and 25mm full sheets on and off the saw.

The simple fact is that the circular saw and track route is a really sensible option for breaking down sheet goods. The only saw table that can compete is an industrial model with a huge sliding table, and that takes up a great deal of space, costs a great deal of money, and needs two men to load and offload full sheets.

Good luck!

 

[wide74]

+1 what custard said

Working as a property developer (amongst other things!) I have the best/worst of both worlds as I have to work on site and in the shop. I had exactly the OP's dilemma a couple of years ago. First I bought an Axminster BS12B table saw or something and it is a good saw for the money but after lifting a load of 8x4x25mm MRMDF I bit the bullet and started down the festool slippery slope with a TS55 and vac. Wow they are worth it. .... If you're on your own forget lifting full sheets onto a saw unless you buy a machine made for it and by that I mean a proper panel saw (Felder, Hammer etc) as it is simply a pain at best and inaccurate at worst.

Be warned. ....... Festool charge top money but for good reason...... sample at your peril

wide out.

 

[Job and Knock]

.....but after lifting a load of 8x4x25mm MRMDF I bit the bullet and started down the festool slippery slope with a TS55 and vac. Wow they are worth it. .... If you're on your own forget lifting full sheets onto a saw unless you buy a machine made for it and by that I mean a proper panel saw (Felder, Hammer etc) as it is simply a pain at best and inaccurate at worst.

Agreed. For safety and the sake of your own back a saw and rail system can't be beaten, even a home-made guide and a standard rip saw (with a decent blade) are going to be better than an inadequate table saw - and by that I mean something smaller than a full-size panel saw. I have a TS55 in the van and it saves a lot of effort. More than accurate enough for what I do

 

[petermillard]

Agreed. For safety and the sake of your own back a saw and rail system can't be beaten...

...Though getting a panel-saw monkey to do it for you comes close

 

[Job and Knock]

Agreed. For safety and the sake of your own back a saw and rail system can't be beaten...

...Though getting a panel-saw monkey to do it for you comes close

In the past I used to have a fork lift truck - less stroppy than a panel-saw monkey but couldn't make tea for toffee. Can't see that being a solution for many, though :lol: